Jefferson County Texas Indictments 2022 (2024)

FAQs

Are grand jury indictments public record in Texas? ›

Basically, an indictment moves a case into court for pre-trial negotiations or a trial. It's important to point out that grand jury proceedings are secret and what occurs in the grand jury room and deliberations are not a matter of public record, although an indictment is public document.

The grand jury, in Texas, is a group of regular citizens who carefully analyze the evidence presented by the prosecution. If 9 out of 12 of the grand jury members agree that there is sufficient evidence, an indictment is issued for Texas felony cases.

Jefferson is a city and county seat of Marion County, Texas, in Northeast Texas. It has a population of 1,875 as of the 2020 United States census.

Beaumont, incorporated in 1838, is a coastal city in Southeast Texas 90 miles east of Houston and 30 miles west of the Louisiana border. The city is home to more than 115,000 residents and is the seat of Jefferson County, Texas.

Indictments are complex matters in Texas. When a person has been accused of a serious crime, the court may indict them. The indictment process is complex and because everyone has the right to a speedy trial. Indictments must generally occur within 180 days.

Beyond the arrest the D.A.'s office has 90 days in which to indict the case by presenting a case to the grand jury and securing a True Bill. Individuals still in jail beyond 90 days without the presentment of a case to the grand jury must be released on a reduced bond or a personal recognizance bond.

If a criminal case falls through the cracks, the court might dismiss it. Under Texas law, if prosecutors do not file formal charging instruments (indictment or information) within 180 days of an arrest, the matter is subject to dismissal.

How Long Can a Felony Charge Be Pending? In most cases, a felony charge will be pending for three years. This is the minimum statute of limitations for a felony. However, if the statute of limitations is longer, the felony charges will remain pending for the entire period.

The statute of limitations for misdemeanors is two years. Unless specified, it's three years for felonies. However, it's important to point out that many felonies do carry a specified statute of limitations, usually at five years, seven years or ten years. Some limitations are based on the age of the victim.

For more than 60 years, Jefferson has been best known for its annual Pilgrimage event, hosted by The Jessie Allen Wise Garden Club, featuring a revolving yearly selection of beautifully restored and period furnished mid-nineteenth century homes, which remain as authentic and loving tributes to the city's past.

Is Jefferson TX the oldest town in Texas? ›

Recognized as the fifth oldest town in Texas, it is now the seat of Marion County. There are two men who are widely credited as co-founders of Jefferson.

Jefferson and Orange join Hardin, Chambers and Liberty Counties as the only ones not currently under a burn ban. Tyler County reissued a burn ban on Friday, September 29, 2023 and burn bans also remain in, Jasper and Newton County. It is illegal to leave any fire unattended in the state of Texas.

The Port Arthur ship canal, on the west shore of Sabine Lake, connects with the Neches and Sabine rivers to provide deepwater ports at Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland, and Port Neches. Deepwater transportation and petrochemical industries are among the county's economic mainstays.

Originally settled as a farming and lumber town, Beaumont was home to the largest and most important oil boom in U.S. history. Known as black gold, Spindletop was the craziest gusher the country had ever seen with oil shooting upwards of 150 feet in the air.

Beaumont Demographics

Black or African American: 45.6% White: 36.26% Two or more races: 9.45% Other race: 5.28%

Once the grand jury issues an indictment, an arraignment hearing will occur within about two to four weeks after an indictment has been handed down.

If a criminal case falls through the cracks, the court might dismiss it. Under Texas law, if prosecutors do not file formal charging instruments (indictment or information) within 180 days of an arrest, the matter is subject to dismissal.

Every felony case that goes to trial or pleads must be indicted by a grand jury unless the defendant chooses to waive indictment and proceed per the Texas Constitution.

Cases from the Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, and courts of appeals are searchable through the Texas Appeals Management and eFiling System (TAMES) Case Search. Files that are available online can be viewed for free. To access records that are not online, contact the specific court.